The Metaphor

Since the earliest years of mankind there has always been a need to illustrate moments that occur in life. These illustrations began with the use of pictures and evolved into the use of words and language. These illustrations are metaphors for something in the actual world. Borges gives an example of “a monster made of eyes” and it goes back to visual metaphors because we as humans view certain events in our own way. There are many interpretations to an image, “a picture says a thousand words.” With slight variations to words choice and the arrangement, people can create completely different effects to a metaphor. Borges mentions comparing a woman to a flower and comparing a flower to a woman; they are pretty much the same thing but the arrangement makes a difference. When someone speaks about a flower they think of something that is delicate, pure, and beautiful creating a welcoming feeling. But when someone thinks about a woman they relate to the experiences that they have had with women whether they are good or bad. Borges refers to the metaphor’s affect as a pattern. Each metaphor has its own pattern; some can be connected to another metaphor but others just stand-alone. When it comes down to analyzing poems and metaphors there are “only about a dozen” different patters used. These patterns send a message, metaphors many be considered as being a colorful way to send a message to the reader. Borges also mentions that the words he and I wrote are also considered metaphors because they stand for something more in the real world. When a person reads the word “car” they think of an image of a car. This brings the imagination into the reality and gives a person a break from the world. “Where’s Sofie?” is a metaphor. We’re about sending the message, one message at a time.